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Reviews
Ink (2009)
Truly Stunning Film
I've never felt luckier to live in Denver. Ink, filmed in Denver, had one of its first screenings tonight and despite going in with no particular expectations, I was completely floored. Nothing about the film indicates that it is a lower-budget, independent film, except perhaps its freedom to pursue such a surprising and ambitious concept.
Though it was in production at the same time as these films, it strikes me as mixing the best parts of Pan's Labyrinth and Nightwatch. However, these two excellent films in their own right simply do not match up in my mind. Ink is visually and aurally stunning. The blurring the lines of reality present an allegorical tale that is emotionally gripping and philosophically challenging.
I'm not easily taken to high praise, but I really think this may be THE movie to see in 2009. I just hope people get the chance to see it.
Kids in the Hall: Brain Candy (1996)
Funny, but too long for the troupe.
The Kids in the Hall are a great sketch comedy group and that is why I tried the movie, and while it was very enjoyable, especially since there are little bits of the show throughout, it also shows some awkwardness in them trying to handle a feature film instead of the usual 5 minute skits. But while it is not quite as enjoyable as watching a few of their shows is, it is still better than most comedies on the market so for any KitH fan it is worth renting. But I don't think people who haven't seen the TV show will enjoy the movie much as they would likely not get it.
The Mummy Returns (2001)
Surprisingly Intelligent
The Mummy series may be the most underrated I've seen. Both
the first and not the second feature fairly deep Egyptian
mythological based plots with action piled in. The second one
really accomplishes things better with more character interaction
and history. And while it doesn't lack action, that shouldn't be the
only focus from the audience. Unless you just can't stand action in
movies this is a fun and interesting movie.
The Godfather (1972)
To Many Unseen Plot Points
The Godfather series stands as the best in the mob dramas, but
that doesn't mean it is as spectacular as advertised. In general
mob dramas have been overrated from Godfather to the Sopranos
TV series. The main problem with The Godfather is that many plot
elements are not shown or even described. The following
example is a *spoiler* so if you don't wish to hear a fairly major
plot point don't read on. In the middle portion of the film Sonny
picks up the phone and then goes racing off in the car with others
scrambling to follow. He then is gunned down. Neither the topic
of the call nor the reason he was killed are told to the audience,
leaving them wondering why it happens aside from the usual
tension throughout the movie. These types of skimpy explanations make too many parts unbelievable that the plot is a
weakened form of a potentially great plot. Outside of that the
movie features fine acting and scenery for a decent but
disappointing experience.
Made (2001)
Great but annoying
For the first time in my life, my main complaint of a film is that a
character was too well acted. Vince Vaughn's performance of the
guy who does everything the wrong way by being loud and dumb
is so convincing that you just wish he'd ge off the screen so your
eardrums can stop bleeding. But the movie itself is well crafted
with a smooth and funny plot. I just wish I could selectively mute.
Dog Park (1998)
What Romantic Comedy Should Be
I don't know what it is but romantic comedies always seem to be a let down. The comedy is just barely there and the romance is too unconventional to be believed. Dog Park is what the genre should be. It takes one small quirk, the dogs in this case, and melds a fairly realistic story around it. Featuring a great cast and great writing, this film jumps right off the screen. To have reality in a genre that lacks it makes it touch deeper than others. A great film and finally a date film that doesn't sacrifice quality.
Cats & Dogs (2001)
Almost good enough to be watched
Cats and Dogs was a movie I knew was not going to be more than
just a fun 90 minutes to waste. It turned out to almost live up to
being just an entertaining mediocre film. Two things really kept it
from reaching the average level. First, I can understand allowing
the animals to have voices when talking to each other, but why did
they have to make it so the animals could talk to humans, it isn't
important to the story, it just make the movie much worse. Also,
as a cat person I must ask, why are the cats the bad animals and
dogs the good animals. Oh well, unless you are big animal
person, this film will just be horrible and even the greatest animal
fan shouldn't find this more than a decent movie.
Rush Hour 2 (2001)
In all ways worse than the first.
The first Rush Hour movie was a special treat. Sure, I can tolerate
Jackie Chan movies usually because of the awe-inspiring fighting
scenes but the plots tend to lag behind. Rush Hour added a
decent plot and Chris Tucker at his loud, obnoxious best. This
was a recipe for a great comic action film. Unfortunately for the
sequel they decided to make a overly twisted plot and poorly
written jokes that basically play on the last film's humor. My
suggestion, just watch the first one again.
Scary Movie 2 (2001)
So Bad You Don't Notice
This movie was awful to say the least. With most bad movies you,
A.) Laugh hysterically at it's badness or B.) Can point out specific
things that made it bad. This one is so transparent that I can't do
either. As a comedy it fails mightily as it is only good for one or two
laughs and even those aren't hysterical. You get to the end of the
movie and walk out dazed, as if the shallow movie has infected
you with its virus. Thank God it was only 75 minutes long, any
longer and we would all be zombies which I might add were not in
the film.
Moulin Rouge! (2001)
Fast Pace Loses Plot
The best comparison to make between this and another movie is
Shakespeare in Love. Like the deserving Academy Award winner,
Moulin Rouge features a play within a play where the writter falls in
love with someone out of his reach. The problem is that this
movie doesn't have the proper pacing. Partly because of it's
setting in the Paris Bohemian underworld, it is a constant rush of
images through much of it that is just painful to watch and
overworks the senses to the point the brain isn't prepared to take
in the finer points. Watching through the first hour I was so
tempted to just turn the film off as it hadn't pulled me in, something
a good movie should accomplish in much less time. It seems
this film has had as much a split review from the critics as any and
it seems so for good reason. As much promise that might be
there convincing some to like it, there are problems that convince
others not to.
Pearl Harbor (2001)
Two movies for the price of one.
Pearl Harbor turns out to be two 90 minute movies. One is the war
history film of the attack on Pearl Harbor. The other is a war-time
romance. Personally I prefer the former. Unfortunately in this
movie gives you both, pleasing only a few and taking three hours
to do so. Much of the non-historical parts are not all that well done
with the first hour suffering from bad chemistry and weak plot
striking in the last hour. In the end it turns out to be just an
average movie and not something you really want to have to watch
three hours of.
The Score (2001)
The Slowest Robbery Ever
For heist films, The Score fills in as a decent entry, but it is the
movies pace that keeps it from being a much better film. The first
half of the film is very slow as they set up the score, and in the
second half when they finally go to do it, it still is plodding. A less
climatic climax I've never seen. Because of the films slow pacing,
it doesn't really get the adrenaline flowing like this type of film
should. It does offer a typical plot change with issues of double
crossing and trickery. A almost transparent side love story is so
weak that it is a wonder why they waste 10 minutes on it. Overall,
it is a fine film if you really like the genre, but it isn't a must-see for
the regular movie-goer.
Legally Blonde (2001)
Very Entertaining, But Not Exceptional
In short, Legally Blond is starts with a Clueless feel, but breaks
beyond that into a fairly witty film. While it isn't thought provoking
and is rather predictable most of the time, it manages to be a well
paced, entertaining film. A great rental as well as a great date
movie, it is worth the price to see it once.
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (2001)
Magical Movie Misses Magic
Take a incredible book, take away character development,
sections of plot, and much of the humor and what do you get? A
damn fine movie. I can say I enjoyed the movie greatly, but it is
just not the wonderful experience that reading it is. The movie has
limits where imagination does not. In the novel there were so
many little lines that you don't notice when reading through, but
while watching you miss. The little petty interactions that had to be
cut for the movie take away from the character development that
makes the books seem so real. For the most part the casting was
done amazingly well compared to how I saw the characters in my
mind's eye. The three main characters were played exceptionally
well and that was enough to keep the experience alive. Another
problem I saw from how friends of mine who hadn't read the book
reacted to it is that too much was cut out and not accounted for.
Many events just roll into each other and leave the viewer baffled
as to how it got that way. Either way, I'm happy I saw it in the
theater but I won't be tempted to see it again until it comes out on
DVD.
Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within (2001)
Near-Real Animation shows plot holes.
It is no question that this film features the most amazing animated
graphics to this date. Credit is due for that but the makers of the
film still have to be held responsible for a plot that at points seems
to work but then plummets down the drain. Much of the scripting
features uninspired sci-fi shallowness and that leads to the viewer
not being engaged in watching. Only people who cared about this
movie enough to have watched it already should probably watch it
so if you haven't yet, don't bother.
Shrek (2001)
Aside from clever satirical moments script falls flat.
The satirical value of this film has largely been used by many to
hide the slow moments of the film. This movie has a few very
humorous moments where it mocks many of the familiar fairy tale
characters. But the main story of the film, which is a more indirect
satire of typical fairy tale elements, is slow and has uncomfortable
interaction between the characters that make the movie more of a
task than a pleasure.
Josie and the Pussycats (2001)
Delightfully shallow movie
Not since Spiceworld have I seen such a wonderful, but shallow
movie. Sure the plot is obvious with little in the way of deeper
meaning, but it is a fun way to spend 90 minutes. Between catchy
music and hilarious cameos this movie is a great one time
through experience.
Someone Like You... (2001)
Rough but Watchable
This isn't a good movie. It is slow, with weak statements, and no real compassion. With that said, as a chick flick or date movie, it proves a decent escape. But really there is no compelling reason to spend 90 min. watching it.
Joe Dirt (2001)
Much better than anyone could expect.
The only reason I made the choice to watch this movie was that
I'm a fan of Dennis Miller. What I got was not only one of his
funnier apperances in a movie (not that that says much as his
movies haven't exactly been stelar), but an overall funny movie.
Miller is a host of a radio show (with the sophisticated wit that has
become his trademark) who as a joke has Joe Dirt (David Spade),
the resident janitor on as an interview subject. Joe goes on to tell
a riviting, well at least interesting story of his life. Here is where I
would expect the movie to go straight down the drain but the story
is put together well to provide funny, gross, and shallowly dramatic
parts to entertain like a normal movie but with none of the
seriousness. Sure if you would rate this movie directly against
others it might fail, but strictly as a comedy it proves to be better
than average which is much better than I expected.
Along Came a Spider (2001)
Like most, movie fails to live up to book.
As a person who has read the brilliant book by James Patterson, I
was skeptical, and the director managed to meet my expectations
of making a bad movie based on a good book. For years people
have been abridging books successfully. Why can't they make the
story shorter without completely changing it. I guess if I hadn't
read the book, it might have been rated a few higher, but it still
wouldn't be a great movie. Basically, there are better movie
thrillers to watch and plenty of books you could read instead of
wasting your time watching this.
Se7en (1995)
A Disturbing Masterpiece
There is no need for many words in reviewing this movie as it
leaves you wordless. It is one of the greatest thrillers ever, not as
a who dunnit, but just in the venture to understand everything that
happens. At some points it is confusing, but that is made up at the
end. As long as you have a strong stomach, this is a brilliant
movie to see.
The Untouchables (1987)
A fairly good historical drama but it has holes.
I am as big a history buff as the next guy and so I can enjoy the
attempt made by this movie. And in general it is well done.
Unfortunately it has gaps that make it not quite add up. As a rare
comment I must say this movie was too short, coming in at just
under two hours. A movie of this type has valid reason to be
another half an hour long. That time I think could be used to patch
the holes and raise the movies score up a few points.
The Family Man (2000)
Almost touching but mostly boring
The Family Man has many moments when it could be a good movie, but too many times are just unbearably bad. The movie is also about 30 minutes longer than it should be which leads to watch checking. Overall this just isn't a very good movie.
Driven (2001)
A thrilling Movie that survives its sensationalism
As a race fan this movie was an immediate draw but and it
delivered in many ways. While the racing and even more the
crashes were exagerated, much of the action provides a very
realistic feel. Behind these scenes was a very intriguing twist of
relationships that made the movie worth watching by anyone.
Driven is due much more credit than it has been given.
Memento (2000)
Fascinating new angle to fascinating story
Prepare for a movie experience like no other when watching this film. Memento tests your mind as much as any other film as the mind of the character on screen is revealed to you. The events in the film take place backwards; making this suspense not a who-done-it, but instead what events led to this outcome. One neat feature I would like to see now that I've seen the film the way it is originally shown, and the way all should watch it, is to watch it in chronological order and to see how things unfold that way.
Anyway, the fact that this movie came out so early could hurt its chances but this movie should win a few Oscars (pending any more great films).